Alexandra Barbee

Job Title:

Disney entertainer

I earned my bachelor of arts in history from 2010-2014. When I first started at the U of A I declared political science as my major but quickly switched to history because of my passion for the subject. It can be easy to believe there is no job path for history majors and that being a teacher is the only option; however, this is simply not the case. I applied for an internship with the National Park Service in Harpers Ferry, WV after deciding I wanted to experience living on the east coast for the summer. I ended up loving my internship so much that instead of aspiring for a career in law I decided to apply to be a Park Ranger at Harpers Ferry after graduation and pursue a masters degree in public administration.

My connections and personal interactions throughout my undergraduate tenure provided direction and support, and even simple life advice. The history department is truly like a mini family. I built a Barbie-sized guillotine for my senior year French Revolution class that would actually decapitate Barbie dolls. Within a few days of presenting this project I was receiving emails from professors and even the department head about how unique my project was. It truly astounds me to this day how so many different mentors can be involved in your life. Working as a Park Ranger one was of the most fulfilling jobs I have ever had and taught me so much about public service. Shortly after this I was hired by the Walt Disney Company as an entertainer and am still working at the Disneyland Resort. Now I bet by this point you're wondering "what does any of this have to do with being a history major?" The connections and mentors I established through the History department have helped me achieve acceptance into five graduate schools. This course I will be pursuing after my time at Disney next year.

I was highly involved in ASUA and Greek life while at the University of Arizona and was the recipient of the Kathryn Anne Governal Perseverance Award. I would be more than happy to discuss history or even campus life with any prospective students because these will be four of the most amazing years of your life.